TexasCHLforum.com

thetexan wrote:<SNIP>

If they didn't detect my pistol I wonder how many others they missed some of whom might have been bad guys.

tex

That is an excellent point, I've carried out there for years. When they tried to ban guns, the first year a girl got shot in the hind quarters in the middle of the Midway. They tried to say it came from outside the park and somehow missed all the buildings, rides and 10,000 other people to somehow hit her low in the middle of the crowd. Also being privy to the number and nature of runs in the area, going to and getting out are as, if not more dangerous than attending.

They never caught the weapon I was carrying. Once they got a squawk and Ithey asked me what I had in my pockets, I pull out my keys, my wallet with a badge in it and hold them down to my sides. Wouldn't you know they happened to be over my gun and my mag on their respective sides. That was enough metal to satisfy them. The next time I was wearing a belly band AND a Holter monitor trying to figure out where my V-Tach was coming from. That dad blamed thing looked like a bomb strapped to my chest. I lifted my shirt, and they kinda looked dumbstruck and said, "Uh....okay." Other than those two times they missed the weapon totally.

jimlongley wrote:
General tip - Be prepared for any of a variety of different reactions - in past years we identified as CHL holders carrying, as they required and: Got shuffled aside to wait while a supervisor came to take down our names and CHL and Driver License numbers (which I wrote a letter to the State Fair about and never received a reply, but the following year they stopped doing that) and then turned us over to a LEO who wanted to know why we felt the need to carry there; We have been told to report to a LEO at a stand behind the entrance (several times) (and one year the LEO was busy so we just kept walking, and another there was no LEO at the stand, so . . . kept on walking); We have been waved through; and one time the bright light wielding the wand passed it up my side where my 1911 was OWB under my jacket, and it didn't beep because he wasn't doing it right (I have experience) while the one "inspecting" my wife's purse completely missed the compartment with her PPKS in it, so we didn't bother to identify.

-em mine

Jim,

Did you CC the DPS' Private Security Bureau? I did and got a rapid response stating that the collection and retention of the personally identifiable information was illegal, that the security (Platinum IIRC) firm was under investigation and that this violation was going on their list of complaints. Also, I allowed it ONE time and after being "lectured" by them about my responsibilities started trying to get their information. I carried a tablet and asked to see their ID stating that I did not know them, how they were securing the information and what their disposal protocols were and that only DPS could legally retain that info and an LEO could only record it as part of an investigation. Predictably an argument would normally start them usually jumping up and down and screaming about their absolute authority (only a slight exaggeration) threatening to prevent my entry unless I provided it. I'd insist on their getting the gate's LEO over and that is where it would typically end.

I have posted it before, but if ya'll would like I can post the letter again. I have no doubt that the letters written from this membership is what turned the situation around. To the OP, I normally will simply buy my ticket and as I approach the "wand" I will simply state, "I need to see the police officer." Most will say okay and wave me on past, some will cock their head like a puppy and ask, "Why?" But after I tell them again I get waved on past.